Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-02
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE COLUMBIA ROAD.
ana Other Roads ana Avenues.

TO the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
Inc propriety OF widening this much talked-of
SUBURBAN Ihoroughfare is not question. Upon
thls The favored few, who on fine evenings
frequent II In their sumptuous equipages, and for
whose oeneft the improvement seems specially
oesi9neo and also the less favored individuals, who
are expected to donate their land for the purpose
are substantially unit AS to the ertent OF that
widening, however, whether from the present 80
iee' W oo OF more, or TO 100, with parking street
cars, ana broad footways the variance is very de-
cloed Ihere seems no doubt, either, that in their
certain limitations the value of adjacent land
would De enhanced by such widening, unless, in
9eeu, enough were taken away to render the resi-
que, because OF quantity or form, deprecated or
useless. A building lot may be greatly increased
In value Dy widening road, but sufficient land
must De left on which to build and receive that
benefit; and II from a lot worth $4,000 section
worth 600 is taken the residue must of course
nave oeen doubled In value, Or somebody is loser
vN;o 10 the Plat prepared by order OF Col
LuuioW showing this contemplated widening Of
Columbia road from Boundary Street to 10Th, there
appears 10 DE no less than twelve persons interest
cd as prOpretOrSOf adjacent lands. OF these, four
Only seem 10 make donations, while the lands of
eight are noted as condemned" The heaviest
concentration is of the land of the heirs Of Geo.
Beattle Blake, OF Boston, deceased at the head Of
connecticut avenue, and foot or the hill, amount
ing TO 20, 94 square feet nearly one-ffth ofthe
en,r S Iract and next 70 that the tract of Ed
muhd fla2g, on the plateau above, amounting to
2oss94 square feet. including strip on Garfield
avenue, or nearly one-fourth OF his entire tract.
N"AASi
square 1eet respectively, making total aggregate
OF some 10000 square feet, valued, according to
recent sales at not less than 500 OOh
On entering Columbia Road and commencing
tne ascent OF the hill, The Blake property stands
On the right, and single glance indicates the
strip or land 400 feet long and 90 feet WIDE involv
Ing an elaborate stone wall said to have cost
ss,OOO; also number Of fine forest trees, and
causing the outline OF the tract to become an alb
rupt hillside; while 1t Is not SO easy to perceive in
, wnat manner the residue of the property can thus
how III av ahs In value as t Is to
lne query suggests Itself with force, just at this
point, Why did not Col. Ludlow widen his road by
taking the necessary land, one-half OF it, at any
rate, from the opposite side, where already rises
preclpice. and where thus but little comparative
damage could be sustained by cutting down? IL
surely cOud not have been because that land is the
property OF ". W. Phelps millionaire member OF
Congress, and very ''live man." whilst on the
dead man hundreds OF miles away! There seems,
moreover, no doubt that the course OF the road
would De more in conformity to the streets OF the
city II dH the land for this widening were taken
from That west side ascending the hill, and then
from the south side after reaching Oakland ave-
nue.: II Is certain that the tracts OF land on the
south side would be less damaged than those on
the north side OF the road by this abstraction for
the reason that they so much exceed the Others in
depth.
The question of the cost of this Improvement.
including work with damages cannot be viewed
as trivial The amount OF excavation through
that hill to obtain the requisite breadth and grade
would be immense; and no jury, whether OF Seven
or Twelve, and however selected or Influenced,
could avoid awarding the Blake heirs alone dam
ages In thousands OF dollars. AS to the authority
OF the Commissioners to incur such serious outlay
and their right as inherited from the Levy Court
and The Board OF Public Works to exercise SOW
ereign power as to eminent domain, the question
may be waived; but 1t Is scarcely question how
Congress would view such exercise, or the lndiS-
crlmlnate expenditure OF the availS or District tax
alton or any possible remnants OF its own appro-
prfatfons from other suburban roads on work like
.nls, In view OF It's very unmistakabe expressions
divers Of fl,ay
sachusetts avenue. Congress is jealous body,
anu VIII not suffer It's power to be exercised by
another. Indeed, the Commissioners themselves
seem 10 nave taken this view when they exacted
me pledge OF some $1,000 or $1,000 as fund for
damages from those anxious for the anticipated
Deiiel.s of lhe undertaking before endorsing il.
But, how many drops in the bucket would this
amount constitute TO meet even the probable or
possible award TO the Blake heirs, to say nothing
OF other claimants? Besides, Congress- or, at
least, the Senate, may be Inclined TO inquire few
months hence what has become OF that ''cOmpre-
nenslVe system" OF suburban streets embodied in
Col LudlOwS splendid red and yellow map pre-
pared and submitted co that body at its request at
It's late session, and also Whe her the magnificent
California avenue may not obviate the necessity
or widening Columbia road at ALL or may not, in
deed, oOvlate Its necessity altogether. That ave
nue. W0utd DE a magnificent affair. and in cOnnec-
tOn WIN Massachusetts avenue extended would
constitute grand boulevard along that range of
heights. But 1T would cost money. Yes and Con-
gress would give it. LEX